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Writing Skills

Brush up on your grammar and punctuation skills to polish your final drafts.

Sentence Fragments

A sentence fragment is a sentence that is missing either its subject or its main verb.

Phrase Fragments

Unattached phrases must be made part of a complete sentence. You can join them either using a comma or a conjunction.

  • INCORRECT: Since I was finished with my work, I got my phone out.  Texting my best friend about our plans later.
  • CORRECT: Since I was finished with my work, I got my phone out, texting my best friend about our plans later.
  • CORRECT: Since I was finished with my work; I got my phone out and was texting my best friend about our plans later.

Subordinate Clause Fragments

Two clauses can be combined using a subordinating conjunction or an adverb to show the dependence of one clause on the other.

  • INCORRECT: The children were running for the playground.  Because recess had just started. 
  • CORRECT: The children were running for the playground because recess had just started. 
  • INCORRECT: Since you were late to the movie you missed to the first half.
  • CORRECT: Since you were late to the movie, you missed to the first half.